Beware of Mosquitoes

Hong Kong's people love travelling overseas. In order to ensure a safe and healthy trip, we have to pay attention to the standard of hygiene and the epidemic situation of infectious diseases, including mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever and malaria, in travel destinations, and take appropriate preventive measures. In fact, there are also appropriate measures, such as anti-mosquito measures, which we have to adopt to ensure good environmental hygiene even when not travelling.

Dengue fever and malaria
Both diseases are transmitted through mosquito bites and are endemic in many countries in South East Asia. Dengue fever is transmitted to humans through the bites of female Aedes mosquitoes which are infected with the dengue virus, while malaria is transmitted through the bites of female Anopheline mosquitoes which are infected with the malaria parasite.

Current Situation
Dengue fever and malaria remain significant problems in some countries in South East Asia and Africa. In Hong Kong, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has urged the public to take proper anti-mosquito measures and stay alert to the risk of mosquito-borne diseases with ovitrap indices (AOI) remaining high in some areas, particularly during summer.

Anti-mosquito measures
The best measures to prevent mosquito-borne diseases are to avoid mosquito bites and to prevent mosquito breeding.

Avoid mosquito bites

• Wear long-sleeved tops and trousers
• Apply effective mosquito repellent containing DEET to exposed parts of the body and clothes
• Use mosquito screens or nets when in rooms without air-conditioning
• Avoid staying in forest especially during dawn and dusk times

Prevent mosquito breeding

• Dispose all used cans, bottles, or other containers into dustbins with covers
• Cover tightly all water containers, wells and water storage tanks
• Avoid stagnant water by keeping all drains free from blockage
• Change water for plants at least once a week and leave no water in the saucers underneath flower pots
• Call the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Hotline at 2868 0000 if you notice any mosquito breeding sites.

For further information on the prevention of dengue fever and malaria, you may wish to visit the relevant pages in the website of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health.  For latest information on epidemic situation of denger fever and malaria in different countries, please visit the relevant pages in the website of the Travel Health Service of the Department of Health.  For further information on anti-mosquito measures, please visit the relevant page in the website of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.

(Last Updated on 18-09-2007)